Pentagon Says Hidden Afghanistan Files Surfaced, Deepening Scrutiny of 2021 Kabul Exit
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 26
Pentagon Says Hidden Afghanistan Files Surfaced, Deepening Scrutiny of 2021 Kabul Exit
2 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 26
Summary
Sean Parnell said a Pentagon review has recovered classified Afghanistan-war documents allegedly hidden in safes, calling them highly relevant to decisions made during the 2021 Kabul withdrawal.
Parnell gave no details on the files or a release timeline, but said the material showed why someone tried to conceal it and pointed to broader improprieties by the previous administration.
The findings come from a new Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel examining the final days of the U.S. exit from Kabul, including who bears responsibility for U.S. deaths there.
The withdrawal remains a partisan flashpoint: Republicans say Biden ended operations too abruptly, while Democrats argue he closed a 20-year war and have criticized GOP-led reviews as politically slanted.